Wednesday, May 25, 2016

Counting down to Leaving

We are getting everything together for leaving this Sunday.  We have been doing a lot of shopping for things that are hard to come by when we get up in Canada and cheaper here.  We like to be able to buy a lot of things for our guest and make their money stretch as far as possible, and get them the best bang for our buck.  We have a few meals to set up for, before we get to Fairbanks & Anchorage. We usually pick up more stuff there for the rest of the trip.
Cyndy has been busy getting the meals all worked out and putting together there welcome packets for the start of the trip.  The back area which she calls her sewing room is full of supplies for the trip.
 I think she can still get to her chair but that is about it.  The sewing machines are some where back here. I think there is a little bit of floor space left to put things.
 We start buying things in April when we find it on sale.  The freezer is full for the first half of the trip, hope to have it down a little before I go Halibut Fishing. Don't know if I will get any Salmon this year, hope to get a few Sockeye if at all possible.
I have been working on getting all the paperwork set up before we leave.  I am just about ready now.  I am hoping to start posting a little bit more when we start traveling again.  Not much to say when we are setting here just visiting with the kids and relaxing taking care of doctor appointments.  Now that all of that is behind us it is time to start moving again. As the saying goes I am getting the hitch itch and so is Cyndy so it is time to move before the roots can catch us.
I found out the Spike likes to look like a big shot with a stodgy in his mouth.

Saturday, May 21, 2016

Back in Tacoma

We were hoping to be out of  Blue Dog by Wednesday afternoon, that didn't happen.  They ran into a little problem with the recall on the ceiling underneath the main air conditioner. It looks like it did before with out the sage in the center.  They also took care of the recall on the ladder out side and fixed the wall paper by the door and gave Cyndy some extra.  They also got the stove fixed so that now when we can light it with out using our matches.
 
This is Thursday afternoon and they are bring our rig out of the shop. The guy on the forklift did a great job, after he got it out and set it down he asked how heavy and I said 18,000 plus.  We were out of Gresham by 2:30 PM and made it back to Tacoma by about 6:00 PM.  Traffic wasn't to bad and now we can start getting the last few things ready for Alaska.
Friday Cyndy had a doctors appointment, her last one and then we went to get our new glasses.  Cyndy said hers were a lot stronger, but working good.  Mine was a different story.  I new mine were a lot stronger, but when everything has a little haze on it there is something wrong.  I really tried to make them work, but by the time I started working on the computer I had to put my old one s back on so that I could work on the computer.  Tomorrow I am taking them back and seeing what they can do,
Friday night I looked out side and seen this great sun set.  It was suppose to rain today, but we got lucky and had know rain.  But today was a different story, it has been a steady drizzle all day tell late this afternoon.  We were up and on our way to Pearle Vision so that I could find out what they were going to do about my glasses.  After the young lady compared my old ones to the new ones she said these are really to strong of a gap.  You need to have your eye's rechecked so at 11:30 I was in having my eyes rechecked and we found out that they made a small error.  Now comes the problem, they are hoping to get the glasses back by next Saturday, because next Sunday we head out for out trip to Great Falls, MT.  They said they are hoping they will be back, so am I!!!!!
 With the rain the boys are tired and just laying around doing nothing.
Tonight we are heading to Cyndy's cousin's for dinner and card playing.  This afternoon we met for lunch with some great friends Tim & Nancy.  It was good talking and visiting with them, see them next time we are in town.

Monday, May 16, 2016

On our Way to Blue Dog RV Repair

We made a fast trip over to Goldendale last Friday to help celebrate the life of Hiram Mulrony.  On our way there we seen a few great photo oops along the way.
 We took the White Pass route, what a beautiful drive, and know traffic.
 As we were getting close to Randle we found this strange looking mountain, I believe it is Mt St Helen.  It was a beautiful view, we have been using our phones for a long time taking pictures. Yesterday I found out 35 camera, dusted it off and thought it was time to start taking pictures with it again.  I think it takes a lot better pictures.
 We got over the pass and was heading out side of Yakima towards Goldendale and found another one of the many mountains here in Washington, Mt Adams.
 We also found one of Oregon's great mountains, Mt Hood.
 This was the back drop from the rodeo grounds where the celebrate the life of Hiram Mulrony was held.  There were over 200 plus people here, he was well liked by the big rodeo organization and a lot of locales that grew up with him.
 
As we crossed back over White Pass we got a great view of the existing Mountain Rainier in all her beauty.
Today we left after Cyndy's last Doctors appointment, which everything is fine just one new prescription.  So by 1:00 PM we were on the road towards Gresham, OR.  We arrived about 5:00 PM.  It was a nice slow drive and very little traffic until we hit Oregon, but not bad.  We are here at Blue Dog for some Warranty work.  It will take them 2 days to get it done, or a day in half.  So tonight we are parked along side the road here at Blue Dog tell they open in the morning, we are hoping they get it done by noon Wednesday.  They have been great in the pass, so we will wait and see.  Tomorrow we will head down to Brian & Rita's and spend the night and visit with them one more time before we head out for our summer trip.  
Cyndy has been wanting some banana brad for a long time, so when we got here today she made 5 small loafs of banana bread.
She fixed 3 small one first, but by the time the secound two were done this is all that is left.
Yep I ate my share and they were great, supper job dear, you hit this one out of the park.

Thursday, May 12, 2016

Short Road Trip

Tomorrow we are going on a road trip over to Goldendale for a Memorial Service for a my cousin Hiram Mulrony. He passed away from cancer about a month ago and they are having a big memorial service at the Rodeo Fair Grounds. It seems like the only time we see everyone in this family: is family reunions, weddings, and Memorial Service. I hate to say it but it will be nice to see some of the family.
Today was another busy doctor day, we have got all of them pretty well taken care.  I think Cyndy has one or two more to go and we should be clear for our trip this next year.  I have been cleared to travel and I know Cyndy will be also.
The other day I went looking for Spike, he usually heads to his bed and hibernates there for most of the day.  But today I looked and he wasn't their.  Then I looked closer at our bed,
 and here he was buried in our blanks on the bed.  Here you can see just a little bit of the back end off him.
I called him and he came up for air.  It is amazing what the two of them will do.

Monday, May 9, 2016

37 Days and Counting

It is hard to believe we are getting down to just about 30 days tell we start the Alaska trip.  Both Cyndy & I are really kicking it up a notch, we always try to make this the best trip to Alaska.  Cyndy has been busy getting all the meals planned that we will be putting on during this trip.  It is hard for her because some of the meals she needs to pick up the food before we leave here.  Maybe that is why our 5.5 freezer is so full.  Just as long as it is getting empty by the time we get to Homer for all of the Halibut we will get. At least I can dream that I get a big one this year.
I have been going over some of the road logs hoping to catch things before we start the trip.  With working with the office girls I am hoping we got all the errors taken care of.  You ask with a company that goes to Alaska every year the road log would be perfect by now, the only problem is that road get straighten out and Campgrounds close and we need to fine new ones.  This is one of the things that happen this year, we moved a campground in Calgary which cause a little problem, but we now have that correct as best we can.  
This last week has been pretty good, I have made some more leveling boards.  I got some 3/4 inch treated plywood and cut them 10 inch wide by 8 foot.  Then laminated two piece together, which gives me a 1 half inch thick treated good board that will last a lot longer than a regular treated 2 by 10.  The last set I made last almost 5 years, not bad.  I got them painted to help keep the water out and they will last a lot longer.
We even got the back of the trailer cleaned out and Cyndy is busy packing up her sewing stuff so that we have room for the caravan stuff.  We have got just over twenty days before we start heading to Great Falls, for the start of our trip.  Look out Alaska we are getting ready to go!!!

Wednesday, May 4, 2016

Day in History

Today is a day I will never forget as long as I am alive.  In 1974 I took this lovely bride for life.
It has been a lot of fun, with a lot of ups and downs, but all in all, I wouldn't trade her for the world.  We spent our first three months of marriage in Berchtesgaden, Germany. After that we settled in Puyallup, Washington for the next 33 plus years. We both retired the first of November 2007, and have really been enjoying life to the fullest.   So Cyndy after the first 42 years I am looking forward to the next 42, your the greatest~!!!!!
Today we both went to the eye doctor, one of those things we forget about until we find ourselves having a little problem with focusing after read for an hour.  So today we had our eyes checked and both of us are getting new glasses, now to just wait for them to get in.  It use to be they would have them done in 2 to 3 days, now it is 10 to 14 days.  With all of this modern day stuff, why is it taking so much longer.  At least we will still be in the area when they are done.
Oh yes I took her out to dinner .

Monday, May 2, 2016

Another Hot Day in Western Washington

The last few days have been pretty nice, today it is suppose to get up to 84 plus.  We just got back from the store and I am glad for the air in the truck, it is working good.  I know because Cyndy was starting to get cold and put her sweater on.  We got another great picture of the mountain this morning.
As I stated in my last blog, I had my Belly Button Surgery last Tuesday.  I was schedule to have my surgery at 8:30 AM on last Tuesday.  I was in by 8:05 and out by 8:25 and on my way home by 9:30 AM.  It didn't feel bad the first day, but the second day it felt like someone had punched me in the gut. Anyway I did what the doc said and just took it easy and didn't do much of anything this week.  He said to take it easy for two weeks and no lifting over 20 LB which is driving me crazy, because I have a few things I want to get done before leaving and get back out and start walking again.  I need to drop some of this weight I got back from this winter not getting out walking.  So other than sitting in my chair and working on the computer for the Alaska trip, getting fishing trips set up and a few other things.
This last weekend Cyndy went to a sewing class on embroidery sewing.  She really enjoyed the class and had a lot of fun.  Here are a few things she got done while there.
 Embroidered Paper Card 
 Towel End
  Free Motion Block
 Book Corner
Napkin Corner with Cutwork
She really learned a lot and found out that the $5000 to $15000 embroidery machine where a little out of her price range, maybe some day she may get one, who knows, but for now she is enjoying the one she has.
Well it is hot outside but the boys are enjoying the air conditioner here in the coach today. 
They are laying right were the cool air is blowing down on them.  As you have noticed I haven't been writing a lot on the blog the last few weeks.  We are currently in Tacoma and just taking care of doc stuff before we head out again on another adventure.  So as important things come up I will make a blog post, but as soon as we are on the road I will start posting more often.  Hope your day is as good as mine.